Rhapsody and Blues
| Rhapsody and Blues | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 1980 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 39:09 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | ||||
| The Crusaders chronology | ||||
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Rhapsody and Blues is an album by jazz fusion group The Crusaders, produced by Stix Hooper, Joe Sample and Wilton Felder, and released in 1980 via MCA Records.[1] That album peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard Top Jazz LPs chart.[2]
Guest performances
[edit]Guest artists on the album included Bill Withers, Sheila E. and Roland Bautista of Earth, Wind and Fire.[1]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
Scott Yanow of AllMusic, in a 2/5-star review, remarked, "the group's concept was starting to sound a bit tired..(with) the group's R&Bish music sounding closer to a formula."[3]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Soul Shadows" | Will Jennings, Joe Sample | 8:16 |
| 2. | "Honky Tonk Struttin'" | Wilton Felder | 4:26 |
| 3. | "Elegant Evening" | Stix Hooper | 6:03 |
| 4. | "Rhapsody and Blues" | Joe Sample | 8:48 |
| 5. | "Last Call" | Joe Sample | 6:40 |
| 6. | "Sweet Gentle Love" | Joe Sample | 4:56 |
Personnel
[edit]The Crusaders
- Joe Sample – acoustic and electric keyboards, synthesizer arrangements
- Wilton Felder – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass (2, 5)
- Stix Hooper – drums, percussion
Guest musicians
- Rory Kaplan – synthesizer programming
- Roland Bautista – guitars
- Bob Mann – guitars
- Dean Parks – guitars
- Phil Upchurch – guitars
- Abraham Laboriel – bass solo (1)
- Alphonso Johnson – bass (6)
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1, 5)
- Sheila E. – percussion (2, 4–6)
- Ralf Rickert – trumpet (1)
- Bill Withers – vocals (1)
Production
[edit]- Wilton Felder – producer
- Stix Hooper – producer
- Joe Sample – producer
- Greg Venable – engineer, mixing
- Russell Bracher – assistant engineer
- Bernie Grundman – mastering at A&M Studios (Hollywood, California)
- Tom Hooper – executive assistant
- Pamela Hope Lobue – production coordinator
- George Osaki – art direction
- Andy Engel – illustration
- Ron Larson – illustration
- Richard Arrindell – photography
References
[edit]- ^ a b The Crusaders (1980). Rhapsody and Blues (album). MCA Records.
- ^ "Billboard Best Selling Jazz LPs" (PDF). Billboard. July 26, 1979. p. 37. Retrieved May 9, 2025 – via americanradiohistory.com.
- ^ a b Yanow, Scott. "The Crusaders - Rhapsody and Blues". AllMusic. Retrieved May 9, 2025.